Rail for use in strapping loads of multiple parts

ABSTRACT

A rail for use in strapping together multiple parts assembled upon skids to produce a packaged unit. The rail is a rigid member having an elongated base and a single side wall projecting upwardly from the base and spaced from one longitudinal edge of the base. The base and side wall each define grooves or cut-outs which receive the skids and straps by which the load is packaged into a unit.

United States Patent [191 Morrow et al.

[ RAIL FOR USE IN STRAPPING LOADS OF MULTIPLE PARTS [75] Inventors: Jack H. Morrow; James A. Mc-

Carthy, both of South Bend, Ind.

[73] Assignee: Rowland L. Sylvester, South Bend,

Ind. by said James A. McCarthy [22] Filed: Dec. 30, 1971 [21] App1.N0.: 213,893

[52] US. Cl ..100/1, lOO/34 [51] Int. Cl 1365b 13/00, B65b 13/18 [58] Field of Search 100/1 34; 248/346,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Friesner ..100/1 1 Apr. 17, 1973 3,411,434 11/1968 Sylvester et al. ..100/l Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite Attorney-Oltsch & Knoblock 57] ABSTRACT A rail for use in strapping together multiple parts assembled upon skids to produce a packaged unit. The rail is a rigid member having an elongated base and a single side wall projecting upwardly from the base and spaced from one longitudinal edge of the base. The base and side wall each define grooves or cut-outs which receive the skids and straps by which the load is packaged into a unit.

7 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures Patented April 17, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet l I N VENTORS (ml/5 ,4. MC 04pm) BY d/ICA H. MOP/POW A T TORNEYS Patented April 17, 1973 3,727,543

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 iii INIVENTORASU L/AMES A.MCCA/Q7'HY BY (JACK H, MOP/POW gimp/4) 5 Mam/k ATTORNEYS Patented April 17, 1973 3,727,543

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. (JAMES ,4. Ma CAPT/J) BY JACK h. MOP/POW (34 m1 Lem; MA

ATTORNEYS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a rail for use in strapping loads of multiple parts and will have particular application in the strapping of stacked items upon skids.

In utilizing the strapping rails described in US. Pat. Nos. 3,4l 1,434 and 3,494,279, there. is a tendency during use of the rails and when under load for the sides of the rails to flex and to close and grip the skid positioned therebetween. Therefore, to release the strapped load from the rails, the rails must be pried loose of the skids, thereby necessitating an inconvenience and delay in the strapping operation. The precise cause for this flexure of the sides of the rails is not fully known.

The strapping rails forming the subject matter of this invention have been designed to overcome the tendency of the prior art rails to grip and retain the skids. In this invention each strapping rail comprises an elongated base member which carries a single side wall projecting upwardly from the base member and spaced from one longitudinal edge of the member. The base member includes parts defining a groove between the side wall and its one spaced longitudinal edge to accommodate a strap positioned under a longitudinally extending skid supported upon the base member. It is also preferable for the side wall of each strapping rail to have a plurality of cut-outs formed therein to accommodate skids which extend transversely of the rail.

The strapping rails of this invention, besides being of a construction which prevents longitudinally carried skids from being gripped by the rails, alsopermits the rails to be paired closer together under a supported load and to beof lighter weight and therefore more easily handled.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a strapping rail which can be utilized to support a stacked load bound together to a plurality of skids which are freely releasable from the strapping rail.

It is another object of this invention to provide a readily handled rail for use in strapping loads of multiple parts.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading of the inventions description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the strapping rail of this invention shown supporting a strapped load.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the manner in which the strapping rail of this invention is used in a strapping operation.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the strapping rail of this invention utilized in an alternative manner in a strapping operation.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the embodiment of the strapping rail of this invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the strapping rail of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6A is a fragmentary perspective view of the strapping rail of FIG. 1 shown supporting a load with the skid in and alternative location.

FIG. 7 is an end view of a modified embodiment of the strapping rail of this invention.

FIG. 8 is an end view of another modified embodiment of the strapping rail of this invention.

FIG. 9 is another modified embodiment of the strapping rail of this invention shown from the end.

FIG. 10 is another modified embodiment of the strapping rail of this invention shown from the end.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments illustrated are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. They are chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its application and practical use to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention.

The rail 5 illustrated in FIGS. 1, 46 includes an elongated base member 10 having a lower support engaging face 12 and, upper face 14. Base member 10 may be between five to seven inches wide and 8 to 10 feet in length. A wall 16 projects upwardly from upper face 14 of base member 10 and is spaced from edge 18 of base member 10. Base member 10 and wall 16 are preferably formed of metal, such as an aluminum or magnesium alloy, with the wall being integrally formed with the base member or welded or similarly bonded to the base member. A plurality of brace parts 20 extend between wall 16 and base member 10 at the opposite side of the wall from edge 18. Two spaced rods 22 are welded or otherwise bonded to upper face 14 of base member 10 to form ribs defining a groove therebetween. Rods 22 are located between wall 16 and edge 18 of the base member and parallel the wall for the length of the base member. Rods 22 are spaced sufficiently far apart and have a sufficient diameter so as to accommodate a tiedown strap 24 which extends the length of the rail and which is shown in broken lines in FIG. 6. The width of base member 10 as measured between its edge 18 and wall 16 is sufficient to accommodate a skid 36 which is shown in broken lines in FIG. 6 and which may extend the length of the rail as illustrated in the strapped position shown in FIG. 6A. In other constructions of this invention, edge 18 of base member 10 may extend beyond the outer edge of the skid 36 supported upon the base member. The upper edge 26 of wall 16 is interrupted by a plurality of cutouts 28 which are preferably equally spaced apart along the length of the wall. Cut-outs 28 are preferably rectangular or square in shape and have a lower edge 30 which is interrupted by a groove 32. The depth of each cut-out 28 as measured from rail upper edge 26 to cut-out lower edge 30 and the width of each cut-out exceed the thickness and width respectively of a skid 34 which is illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 5. Groove 32 of each cut-out accommodates strap 24 with clearance.

Strapping rails 5 illustrated in detail in FIGS. 4-6 are shown supporting a strapped load of sheet material 38 in FIG. 1. Strapping rails 5 are supported upon a roller conveyor 40 in a spaced parallel relationship. Sheet material 38 is carried upon upper edge 26 of rail wall 16. A pair of skids 34 extend transversely of rails 5 with each skid being positioned within opposed, registering cut-outs 28 in the rails. A tie-down strap 24 extends longitudinally under each skid 34 and over sheet material 38 to secure the material to the skids. Rails 5 may extend longitudinally of the material 38 as shown in FIG. 3 or transversely of the material as shown in FIG. 2 to accommodate the forks 42 of a lift. Alternatively, skids 36 may extend longitudinally of the rails and be supported upon base members as shown in FIG. 6 (only one rail and skid of the pair of rails and skids is shown) where they are secured to the material 38 carried upon walls 16 by straps 24 extending the length of the skids and drawn down over the material as shown in FIG. 6A.

FIGS. 710 show various other embodiments of the strapping rail of this invention. In FIG. 7 base member 10 has a groove 46 formed therein to accommodate the strap utilized to secure an overlying skid to the stacked material supported upon the flanged upper edge 48of wall 16. In FIG. 8, wall 16 is tapered in cross section with no brace parts being used to supplementally support the wall upon base member 10. A groove 46 to accommodate a tie-down strap is also formed in base member 10. In FIG. 9, base member 10 includes spaced parallel rods 50 which cooperate with the upper face of the base member to define a groove for receiving a tiedown strap. An inverted V-shaped channel member 52 is secured, such as by welding, to the upper face of base member 10 to form a wall upon which the stacked sheet material or other type of load is supported during the strapping operation. In FIG. 10, the strapping railof FIG. 9 is modified to the extent that the inverted V- shaped channel member 52 is replaced by converging elongated plates 54 having a round rod 56 extending along the upper joined edges of the plates. In each of the embodiments shown in FIG. 710, a plurality of cut-outs are formed along the rail in the upper edge of wall 16, channel 52, and plates 54 for accommodating skids and straps which extend transversely between pairs of strapping rails. In each embodiment of this invention, wall 16, channel 52, and plates 54 project upwardly from base member 10 for a distance exceeding the thickness or vertical transverse dimension of a skid 36.

It is to be understood that the invention 'is not to be limited to the details herein given but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A strapping rail for use in groups in assemblying a unit package of multiple items supported upon spaced skids and bound by straps passing around said items and lengthwise of and below said skids, comprising an elongated base member having a lower support-engaging face and an upper face, a single item-supporting side wall member projecting upwardly from the upper face of said base member for a distance greater than the vertical transverse dimension of a skid, said base member having one longitudinal edge spaced from said side wall member, means at the upper face of said base member between said side wall member and one longitudinal edge defining a longitudinal groove of greater width and depth than a strap whereby a skid can be inserted under said items supported upon the side wall and adapted to be handled as a unit.

. The strapping rail of claim 1 wherein said groove defining means constitutes parallel longitudinal ribs projecting from the upper face of said base member.

3. The strapping rail of claim 1 wherein said' side wall member is interrupted by longitudinally spaced cutouts open at the upper edge of said side wall member and ofa depth and width greater than the thickness and width of a skid, each cut-out having a notch in its bottom edge of a depth and width greater than the thickness and width ofa strap.

4. The strapping rail of claim 1 wherein said groove defining means is spaced from said side wall member.

5. The strapping rail of claim 1 wherein said one longitudinal edge is spaced a greater distance from said side wall member than the width of a skid.

6. The strapping rail of claim 1 wherein said side wall member includes parts tapering from said base member to the upper edge of said side wall member.

7. The strapping rail of claim 6 wherein said side wall member is of an inverted V-shaped cross sectional configuration. 

1. A strapping rail for use in groups in assemblying a unit package of multiple items supported upon spaced skids and bound by straps passing around said items and lengthwise of and below said skids, comprising an elongated base member having a lower support-engaging face and an upper face, a single item-supporting side wall member projecting upwardly from the upper face of said base member for a distance greater than the vertical transverse dimension of a skid, said base member having one longitudinal edge spaced from said side wall member, means at the upper face of said base member between said side wall member and one longitudinal edge defining a longitudinal groove of greater width and depth than a strap whereby a skid can be inserted under said items supported upon the side wall member and a strap can be inserted through said groove below and lengthwise of said skid and then passed around said supported items and tightened to produce a package removable from said strapping rail and adapted to be handled as a unit.
 2. The strapping rail of claim 1 wherein said groove defining means constitutes parallel longitudinal ribs projecting from the upper face of said base member.
 3. The strapping rail of claim 1 wherein said side wall member is interrupted by longitudinally spaced cut-outs open at the upper edge of said side wall member and of a depth and width greater than the thickness and width of a skid, each cut-out having a notch in its bottom edge of a depth and width greater than the thickness and width of a strap.
 4. The strapping rail of claim 1 wherein said groove defining means is spaced from said side wall member.
 5. The strapping rail of claim 1 wherein said one longitudinal edge is spaced a greater distance from said side wall member than the width of a skid.
 6. The strapping rail of claim 1 wherein said side wall member includes parts tapering from said base member to the upper edge of said side wall member.
 7. The strapping rail of claim 6 wherein said side wall member is of an inverted V-shaped cross sectional configuration. 